US11170092B1ActiveUtility

Document authentication certification with blockchain and distributed ledger techniques

99
Assignee: USAAPriority: Dec 14, 2017Filed: May 2, 2018Granted: Nov 9, 2021
Est. expiryDec 14, 2037(~11.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Minya Liang
H04L 9/50G06F 16/27H04L 9/3239G06F 21/64G06F 16/1805G06F 16/93G06F 21/645H04L 9/0637H04L 9/3213G06F 21/44
99
PatentIndex Score
51
Cited by
56
References
22
Claims

Abstract

Embodiments are described herein for document authentication certification using information stored on a distributed ledger such as a blockchain. A distributed ledger may securely store document data describing the document. Use of a distributed ledger may provide an immutable, readily auditable record of the history of the document. Each user participating in the system may be assigned a unique identifier to be used for conducting transactions on the distributed ledger network. A user may also be provided with a digital security token such as a cryptographic key that is useable to authenticate the user and enable access to the document data stored on the distributed ledger(s).

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A blockchain node of a blockchain system, comprising:
 a blockchain replicate; and 
 blockchain mining instructions that cause processing circuitry of the blockchain node to replicate a blockchain, perform requested data insertion into the blockchain replicate, perform requested transactions stored in the blockchain replicate, and perform a consensus mechanism of the blockchain system; and 
 wherein the blockchain replicate comprises a document authentication certification smart contract configured to facilitate insertion of data relating to one or more documents stored in the blockchain, and to verify one or more authentication certifications for the one or more documents stored in the blockchain, wherein the one or more authentication certifications for the one or more documents are provided by an authoritative legal entity, wherein the one or more documents comprise one or more legal documents to be certified by the authoritative legal entity, and wherein the data comprises the one or more authentication certifications for the one or more documents provided by the authoritative legal entity. 
 
     
     
       2. The blockchain node of  claim 1 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate information requests relating to the one or more documents. 
     
     
       3. The blockchain node of  claim 1 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate querying of the one or more documents. 
     
     
       4. The blockchain node of  claim 1 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate creation of a document of the one or more documents. 
     
     
       5. The blockchain node of  claim 1 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate display of a document of the one or more documents. 
     
     
       6. The blockchain node of  claim 1 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate authentication of a document of the one or more documents. 
     
     
       7. The blockchain node of  claim 1 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate deletion of a document of the one or more documents. 
     
     
       8. The blockchain node of  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises an identifier for a document, a name of the document, an address of the document, a type of the document, and ownership of the document. 
     
     
       9. The blockchain node of  claim 1 , wherein the data comprises an identifier for an authentication of a document, a name of an entity authenticating the document, a type of the entity authenticating the document, a type of the authentication, and a date of the authentication. 
     
     
       10. The blockchain node of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more documents comprise electronic documents. 
     
     
       11. The blockchain node of  claim 1 , wherein the authoritative legal entity comprises a notary public, a state department, a foreign consulate or embassy, or another government entity. 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for an access node of a blockchain system, wherein the instructions are configured to:
 cause processing circuitry of the access node to create a document authentication certification smart contract; and 
 wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate insertion of data relating to one or more documents stored in a blockchain of the blockchain system, and to verify one or more authentication certifications for the one or more documents stored in the blockchain of the blockchain system, wherein the one or more authentication certifications for the one or more documents are provided by an authoritative legal entity, wherein the one or more documents comprise one or more legal documents to be certified by the authoritative legal entity, and wherein the data comprises the one or more authentication certifications for the one or more documents provided by the authoritative legal entity. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate information requests relating to the one or more documents. 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate querying of the one or more documents. 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate creation of a document of the one or more documents. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate display of a document of the one or more documents. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate authentication of a document of the one or more documents. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the document authentication certification smart contract is configured to facilitate deletion of a document of the one or more documents. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the data comprises an identifier for a document, a name of the document, an address of the document, a type of the document, and ownership of the document. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the data comprises an identifier for an authentication of a document, a name of an entity authenticating the document, a type of the entity authenticating the document, a type of the authentication, and a date of the authentication. 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more documents comprise electronic documents. 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more documents comprise legal documents.

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